Lucera Love
EDUC 285
Save The Ocean Food Webs
You are a team of marine biologists studying the effects of climate change on marine
food webs. You will choose three species of marine organisms that represent three
different parts of a marine food web, and use the internet to research how each one is
being affected by climate change. Describe how these species are interrelated, and how
they depend on one another for survival. Predict how climate change will continue to
affect these organisms and the food web, and what the outcome will be if things continue
as they are now. Then, propose a solution. What can humans do to create a better
outcome for marine food webs?
End Product
With your team of three biologists, you will give a PowerPoint presentation to the class
that:

Describes the three organisms that you chose

Describes how the organisms are interrelated in the food web

Describes why marine food webs are important

Assesses how the organisms and the food web are being affected by climate
change

Predicts a future outcome for these species and the food web

Proposes a solution or solutions for a better future outcome
On-line Resources
1. Sea Lions as Food Web Ambassadors and Climate Lessons from Antarctica - Our
Changing World, Radio New Zealand National
2. Sea Ice Algae Studied Near Top of the World – Live Science
3. Ocean Portal: Find Your Blue – Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
History
4. Climate Change Effects on Ocean Animals – New England Aquarium
Impacts of Climate Change on Marine Organisms and Ecosystems – Science
Direct: Current Biology
5. Ocean and Climate Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts NOAA Ocean Service Education
6. New England Aquarium – Climate Change and the Oceans
7. University of Wisconsin – How Can I Tell if a Website is Credible?
8.
PowerPoint Tutorial
Procedure
1. Use the internet to research marine food webs.
2. Identify and choose three different organisms that represent three different parts
of a marine food web.
3. Work within your group to make a conclusion about why marine food webs are
important.
4. Use the internet to research how each of these organisms and their food webs are
being affected by climate change.
5. Given how each of these organisms is being affected by climate change, discuss
within your group how you think this affects the food web.
6. Work within your group to make a prediction about the future outcome for these
organisms and their food webs.
7. Use the internet to research possible solutions for climate change and marine food
webs.
8. Work within your group to create and compile solutions to climate change and its
affects on marine organisms and food chains.
9. Work within your group to compile your information and ideas, and create a
PowerPoint presentation.
10. With your group, give a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation to the class.
Learning Advice
When choosing websites for gathering information, look for sites that are credible. Some
questions to ask when deciding if the site is credible:

Is the institution that is linked with the site well established (e.g. educational
institutions whose address ends in .edu, government institutions that end in .gov)?

Is the site trying to sell something (i.e. sites that end in .com or .net)? Sites that
are trying to sell something have a strong bias, and are more likely to give false
information.

Is the site bias? Sites ending in .org are often linked with organizations strong
political or religious bias.

Are the authors’ names listed on the site? A site with an author’s name is more
credible.

Is there a date on the site? More recent information is usually more credible.

Is the site well designed, or does it look professional? Poorly designed websites
with spelling and grammar errors should not be trusted.
Form your own opinions, make predictions, and draw conclusions based on trusted
information and scientific evidence.
CA Standards Covered:
Digital Literacy, W 6: “Use a variety of age‐ appropriate technologies (e.g. drawing
program, presentation software) to communicate and exchange ideas”
Environmental Science, 6.5c: “Students know populations of organisms can be
categorized by the functions they serve in an ecosystem.”
Conclusion
In this assignment, students will learn:

How to do internet research using credible websites

How marine organisms are interrelated in marine food webs

How climate change is affecting the organisms and food webs

How to make predictions about the future based on current scientific evidence

How to create solutions for climate change based on current evidence

How to create and present a PowerPoint presentation
Future assignments that could build upon this one would include projects that require
credible internet research, PowerPoint presentations, science projects, marine projects,
and solution-based projects. The next assignment in this class, for example, might be a
project that would put students’ solutions into action, and require them to report on the
short-term and predicted long-term results.
Summary
This WebQuest assignment will help students to meet the digital literacy content
standards through internet research and the creation PowerPoint presentations. It will help
them to meet the environmental science content standards through their research and
group discussions about marine organisms, food webs, climate change, and solutionbased thinking activities. Students will develop their deeper-level thinking by:

Determining the credibility of the websites they are using for their research

Describing how their organisms are interrelated in the food web

Describing why marine food webs are important

Assessing how the organisms and the food web are being affected by climate
change

Predicting future outcomes for their organisms and the food web

Proposing solutions for a better future outcomes